Tube socket



June 24, 1958 Q J. suNKo ETAL 2,840,793

TUBE SOCKET Filed May 18, 1954 1N VEN TORS.

John 5202/60, BY Clarezzcel ma United States Patent TUBE SOCKET John Sunko, Elgin, and Clarence F. Race, Wheaten, Ill.,

assignors to Motorola, Inc., Chicago, 11]., a corporation of Illinois Application May 18, 1954, Serial No. 430,664

3 Claims. (Cl. 339-493) This invention relates generally to receptacles for miniature electron discharge valves and more particularly to a receptacle which is suitable for supporting such a valve on a plated circuit panel.

Present day miniature electron valves have wire connection pins extending from the bodies thereof, and these pins are used for making electrical circuit connections to the valve electrodes as well as for supporting the valve in a mounted position. Receptacles or sockets to retain these pins must engage them firmly yet not so tightly as to unduly hinder removal of the valve. Since all components of such sockets are comparatively small, it is desirable to have the socket composed of but few parts which are, however, of sturdy construction.

Particular problems arise in mounting miniature valves in plated circuit assemblies. Since the spacing of the connection pins of miniature valves is close, it is desirable that the lug connectors of a socket be spaced to facilitate automatic soldering of circuitry thereto with reduced likelihood of short circuits and other intereference. Furthermore, in some of the processes for manufacturing plated circuit assemblies, it is not convenient to form unplated holes in the panels, so soldering is further facilitated by requiring but a minimum of mounting holes for a socket which holes may all be plated. Of course, in addition to simplicity of mounting, low cost of construction is advantageous in such valve sockets.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide such an improved receptacle for a miniature electron valve which may be simply and inexpensively formed, which occupies a minimum of space and which firmly retains a valve inserted therein.

A further object is to provide an improved miniature valve socket which may be expediently mounted on a supporting plated circuit panel assembly and connected to associated circuitry by means of a minimum number of holes spaced a convenient distance from one another.

A feature of the invention is the provision of an improved miniature electron valve socket with a one piece molded body of insulating material and having a series of apertures therein for receiving the valve connector pins, with each aperture being somewhat longer than the pins and having a cut-out portion in the outer wall of the socket body. Resilient electrically conductive prong engaging members are disposed in the apertures with connector lugs extending through the cut-out portions to form mounting and connecting portions and ice each member further has an ear portion to retain the same in the associated aperture.

Another feature of the invention is the provision of an improved miniature electron valve socket as de scribed in preceding paragraph in which the body has a series of raised spacers to support the same above a supporting panel to prevent solder bridging and which has a key slot to facilitate machine assembly and soldering.

Further objects, features and the attending advantages thereof will be apparent upon consideration of the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective exploded view of the socket, a plated circuit panel assembly, and a miniature electron valve;

Fig. 2 is a top view of the socket;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view along the line 33 of Fig. 2 but with a valve inserted in the socket; and

Fig. 4 is a bottom view of the socket.

The invention provides a receptacle for a miniature electron valve which includes a body of molded insulating material having apertures therein in spaced circular relation for receiving connector prongs of a valve. The body is of sufficient height so that the valve prongs do not protrude from the bottom thereof. There is a flange surrounding the bottom of the body and portions of the pin receiving apertures in the body cut away in the outer walls thereof. Resilient electrically conductive spring members are disposed in these apertures to engage the valve prongs. Connector lugs of these members extend through the cut away portions of the apertures and are bent down to pass through openings in the body flange to serve as mounting and connecting members. An aperture in the center of the socket base contains a metal tubular member which shields the valve prongs and extends from the bottom of the base to serve as an additional mounting means. Raised portions on the bottom of the socket space it from the panel to prevent solder bridging during the connecting operation and a key slot in the socket body facilitates alignment and machine assembly of the socket.

Referring now to the drawing and more particularly to Fig. l, the socket 10 may be seen in a position above a plated circuit panel 12 suitable for mounting the same. Electron discharge valve 15 is shown above its position of engagement with the socket or receptacle. The socket includes a circular body 17 which may be composed of suitable insulating material such as molded phenolic and has a flange 18 at the bottom thereof. There is a series of apertures 20 which are shown in circular arrangement so that they may receive the connector pins 22 of the electron valve. These apertures have a cross-section in the upper part thereof such that they are suitable for receiving resilient pin engaging members 24. These pin engaging members can be clearly seen in Fig. 3 and are composed of electrically conductive material. They include a constricted section 27 to engage the valve pins firmly. To insure proper resilience and thus permit withdrawal of the valve pins, the length of the connector portion surrounding the pin has a cut-out section 29 (Figs. 2 and 4) and this section extends along the entire length thereof. There is also a second cut-out section 30 on the opposite side of the connector portion which extends along a part of the 3 length to further insure resilient engagement with the valve prong. That is, the constricted section 27 is split on both sides along part of its length and along all of its length on one side.

The apertures in the socket body have segments cut away through the outer wall of the body from the top of the socket to approximately the top of the flange 18. In order to expedite assembly of the socket, columns 31 are provided with tapered sides so that terminal members 33 will be guided intoIopenings 35 in flange 18 during, for example, machine assembly of the socket. The cut-away segments then. permit connector lug member 32, which is integral with thepin engaging member, to

extend outwardly from this member (Fig. 3) thereby spacing terminal members 33 for convenient soldering. The connector lug is supported by the top of the flange 18 and has a bent down terminal member 33 extending through opening 35 in the flange so that it serves as an electrical connecting and mechanical mounting means. The plated circuit panel 12 of Fig. 1 has a series of plated apertures 37 to receive these connector lug members which may extend through the panel and be soldered to the proper circuitry.

In aconstructed model of the invention, it has been found convenient to insert. the pin engaging members 24 from the top of the socket with these members and the lug members being retained in position by ear portions 36 (Fig. 4) Also as shown in Fig. 4, a bottom view of the socket. the pin receiving apertures 20 extend through the bottom of the socket, but the valve pins 22 do not extend this far as may be seen from Fig. 3 so that no holes need be provided in panel 12 for them. However,

since the bottoms of the upper connector portions of the pin engaging members are open, and the pin receiving apertures extend beyond them, in a reduced diameter, the length of the valve pins is not critical.

Also included in the socket structure is a center tubular member 43. This member is disposed in an aperture in the center of the socket and has a lower segment 44 of somewhat smaller diameter extending from the bottom of the socket. The smaller segment then forms a convenient mounting member to be disposed in an aperture 45 in the plated circuit panel (Fig. l). Thetubular member is grounded to function as an electrical shield in the center of the valve prongs. It may be secured from the underside of the plated circuit panel by any suitable means while the top portion thereof has a flange section 46 which engages the top surface ofthe socket to retain the shield in its position.

To further facilitate'the mounting and connection of the socket a key slot 50 may be incorporated in the flange 18 and this permits machine alignment and insertion of the socket. As is often the-case with plated circuit components provision must be made for expeditious automatic soldering In this socket the terminal members 33 are spaced somewhat from one another so that bridging of solder is unlikely. However, to further prevent the possibility of bridging of solder the raised dot portions 52 are provided on the bottom of the socket. Therefore solder will be less likely to flow by capillary action -betw een'the panel and the socket and make improper connections.

As'may be seen the socket of the described invention provides a device to electrically connect and firmly retain the connector pins of an electron discharge valve inserted therein. It occupies a minimum of space but yet has component parts which may be easily and inexpensively formed. The device is particularly adapted for mounting on, and connecting to the circuitryof, a plated circuit chassis by an automatic process as evidenced by the convenient alignment and soldering provisions.

While a particular embodiment'of the invention has been shown and described, changes may be made and it IS ntended to coverall such changes and modifications 75 ell) .4. as fall within the scope of the invention in the appended claims. r

What is claimed is:

l. A socket for miniature electron valves and the like, including in combination, a cylindrical body of insulating material having upper and lower end surfaces, a peripheral wall surface, and a peripheral flange adjacent said lower end surface, said body having a plurality of circumferentially spaced pin receiving passages extending longitudinally therethrough? said flange having a plurality of radially extending vertically tapered slots adjacent said passages and having a plurality of vertically extending apertures one within each slot, said body having a plurality of slots in the peripheral wall surface thereof opening into each of said passages and extending from said upper wall surface to the slots in said flange, a plurality of tubular shaped pin receiving terminal members positioned one in each of said passages,'each of said terminal members having a lower'lug extending through the lower. end of said passage and bent against the lower wall surface of said body, and each of said terminal members having a connector lug bent outward through and resting in a slotted flange and having an end portion bent downward through the aperture in said flange, with said connector lugs and said lower lugs securing said terminal members in place. V

2.- A socket for miniature electron valves andthe like, including in combination, a cylindrical body of insulating material having upper and lower end surfaces, a peripheral wall surface, and a peripheral flange adjacent said lower end surface, said body having a plurality of circumferentially spaced pin receiving passages and a central shield passage extending longitudinally therethrough, said flange having a plurality of radially extending'vertically tapered slots adjacent said pin receiving passages and having a plurality of vertically extending apertures one within each slot, said body having a plurality of slots in the peripheral Wall surface thereof opening into each of said pin receiving passages and extending from said upper wall surface to the slots in said flange, a plurality of resilient metal tubular shaped terminal members positioned one in each of said pin receiving passages and adapted to grasp connection pins inserted therein, each of said terminal members havinga lower lug extending through the lower end of the passage and bent against the lower wall surface of said body, each of said terminal members having a connector lug bent outward through and resting in a slotted flange and having an end portion bent downward through the aperture in said flange, with said connector lugs and said lower lugs securing said terminal members in place, and a metal tubular member disposed in said central passage forming an electrical shield for connection pins positioned in said terminal members.

3. A socket for miniature electron valves and the like, including in combination, a cylindrical body of insulating material having upper andlower end surfaces, a peripheral wall surface, and a peripheral flange adjacentsaid lower end surface, said body having a plurality of circumferentially spaced pin receiving passages, and a central shield passage extending longitudinally therethrough, said flange having a plurality of radially extending vertically tapered slots adjacent said pin receiving passages and having a plurality of vertically extending apertures one Within each slot, said body having a plurality of slots in the peripheral wall surface thereof opening into each of said pin receiving passages and extending from said upper wall surface to the slots in said flange, a plurality of resilient metal tubular shaped terminal members positloned one in each of said pin receiving passages and adapted to grasp connection pins inserted therein, each of said terminal members having a lower lug extending through the lower end of the passage and bent against -the lower wall surface of said body, each of said terminal members having a connector lug bent outward through and resting in a slotted flange and having an end portion bent downward through the aperture in said flange, with said connector lugs and said lower lugs securing said terminal members in place, a plurality of raised dots on the lower end surface of said body and adapted to support the same spaced from a panel on which the socket is to be supported, and a metal tubular member positioned in said central passage, forming an electrical shield for connection pins positioned in said terminal members.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Baumbach Aug. 3, Keller June 29, Wagstaft Nov. 30, Toth June 7, Stickney July 11, Del Camp Oct. 7,

FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain June 23,

Germany Dec. 27, 

